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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. DENOYELLE. APPARATUS FOR MODBRATING THE REGOIL 0F GUNS.

No. 481.647. Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

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2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

L. DENOYELLE.

APPARATUS FOR MODERATING THE REGOIL 0F GUNS.

w A aw u A w m m P mi 7 N L. w 4 m L m. w A5 @E m UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

LEON DEN OYELLE, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMPAGNIE ANONYME DESFORGES DE OHATILLON ET COMMENTRY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR MODERATING THE RECOIL OF GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,647, dated August30, 1892. Application filed October 15,1890. Serial No. 368,247. (Nomodel.)

To all? whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON DENOYELLE, a citizen of the Republic of France,residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Moderating the Recoil of Guns, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for moderating the recoil of thegun.

This improved apparatus consists in its preferred form in thearrangement on each side of the gun of cylinders, in each of which is apiston connected to the gun, a liquid being arranged behind each pistonand communica tion afforded for this liquid with a third cylinderlocated below the gun, and back of the piston of which is aresisting-spring. By means of the recoil the liquid contained in the twolateral cylinders is forced into the lower cylinder, passing through theball-valve. In this cylinder is compressed the spring behind the piston.W'hen the recoil is completed, the spring reacts on the piston of thelower cylinder and the liquid is forced back,

2 5, passing through adjustable openings and into the lateral cylinderfor bringing the gun back into the firing position.

The improved apparatus has been constructed with a view of permitting arapid ex: amination and easy repair of the various organs in connectionwith the service which is required of it. In addition the constructionof the apparatus is such that the mounting and dismounting, and even thedisplacement of the gun, are rendered very easy.

This improved apparatus is illustrated in its preferred form in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of aturret, showing the gun in side elevation and its sheath and adjacentparts in longitudinal mid-section. Fig. 2isa fragmentary horizontalsection of the turret, showing the gun and its sheath and adjacent partsin elevation at the lower half and the sheath in horizontal mid-sectionat the upper half. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical cross-sections of the gun,Fig. 3 being the left-hand side of the figure, cut on the line 3 3 inFigs. 1 and 2 through one recoil-cylinder, and Fig. 4 being theright-hand the roof D thereof; E, the gun; F, a sheath inclosing themuzzle end thereof, and G the mechanism for supporting and manipulatingthe gun. These parts maybe of any suitable or well-known construction.

According to this invention I provide cylinders X X, arranged at theopposite sides of the gun E, which cylinders inc-lose pistons P P, thepiston-rods Q Q of which are connected to the gun, preferably byconnection to the trunnion-shoes S S of the gun. These trunnion-shoes Sare preferably movable with the gun in longitudinal direction onsuitable tracks.

2 z indicate the trunnions of the gun,which are engaged by the shoes S.

The liquid contained behind the pistons P P in the cylinders X X cancommunicate with another cylinder R, preferably below the gun, thiscommunication being afforded by conduits f f, leading, preferably, to aballvalve g. (Seen in Fig. 1.) Preferably the conduits f f of the valveare adjustable or of an adjustable cross-section, as shown in Figs. 1and 3, to allow of the regulation of the strength and extent of therecoil. A piston (seen in Fig. 1) arranged in the cylinder R receivesthe action of the liquid forced thereinto from the cylinders X X, andaresistingspring is interposed back of this piston to resist itsbackward movement under the liquidpressure during the recoil and uponthe termination thereof to restore it to its forward position, andthereby by driving the liquid out of the cylinder R and back into thecylinders X X to restore the gun to its normal position.

For facilitating the mounting and dismounting and the replacement of thegun according to this invention a special connec- ICO 2 cancer tion ofthe piston-rods Q Q with the shoes S S, which embrace the trunnion z ofthe gun, is provided. This connection is preferably effected as follows:On the threaded end g of each piston-rod Q is secured a cylindrical headT, preferably of bronze, which head is preferably received in a cavityor recess formed in the shoe S. Two keys, with heads U U, are preferablyplaced at each side of the longitudinal axis of the head T, passingthrough apertures in the shoe S and through corresponding grooves orrecesses in the head, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, serving thereby to lockthese parts together. This connection gives the piston-rods thenecessary minimum diameter for the resistance which they are required todevelop while permitting their quick disconnection from the shoes, andthereby insuring a rapid dismounting of the gun.

The dismounting is effected in the manner shown in Fig. 5. A speciallever V is provided, preferably engaging under the head U of each key,which suiilces when the long arm of the lever is acted upon to extractthe key from its seat and disengage it from the head T and shoe S. Whenthe four keys have been thus extracted, the shoes S are free todisconnect from the piston-rods Q Q, and the gun can be dismounted inany suitable manner, either under the action of gravity or of anysuitably-placed supports, so that it slides on the guiding-faces of theshoes or is directly lowered to a lower stage, where a new gun forreplacing it is located. The new gun can then be placed in position inany suitable manner, its shoes being connected to the piston-rods Q Q assoon as they are passed over the heads TT of these rods by inserting thekeys in position to lock these heads to the shoes. The facility ofmaneuvering thus obtained allows precious time to be gained when it isrequired to replace a gun which has been rendered useless. Preferablythe side cylinders X X and the lower cylinder R and the communicatingconduits are formed integrally with the rear portion F of the sheath F;but this is not essential.

It will be seen that my invention provides an improved means foreffecting the moderation of the recoil of guns and for connecting anddisconnecting the gun to the recoil apparatus, which is simple,efficient, and rapid in operation.

What I claim is- 1. In a recoil apparatus for guns, the combination,with a shoe for engaging a trunnion of the gun and movable therewith, ofa recoilcylinder, a piston thereforhaving apiston-rod, and a connectionbetween said rod and said shoe, consisting of a head on the one, arecess adapted to receive said head on the other, and a removable keyfor locking said head in said recess, adapted to be removed by a lever,whereby the gun can be separated from the recoil-cylinder by removingsaid key, and thereby its ready replacement is permitted.

2. In a recoil apparatus for guns, the combination, with the'gnn of theshield F, recoilcylindel's X X, ged at the respective sides of the gun,formed integrally with said shield, pistons P P, arranged in saidpylinglrs and having rearwardly-extending piston-rods Q Q, connected,respectively, to the trunnions of the gun, a third cylinder R, arrangedbeneath the gun and formed integrally with said shield, conduitscommunicating between said recoil-cylinders and said third cylinder, apiston within the latter, a liquid medium contained in saidrecoil-cylinders and adapted when the pistons thereof are moved underthe recoil of the gun to be forced through said conduits into said thirdcylinder, and thereby to move the piston of the latter, and aresisting-spring acting to resist the movement of the piston in saidthird cylinder, whereby when the gun recoils its recoil is transmittedthrough said liquid medium to said spring and is taken up by the latter,and on the termination of its recoil under the reaction of said springthe gun is restored to position, said parts constructed substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a recoil apparatus for guns, the combination of tworecoil-cylinders arranged at the respective sides of the gun in front ofits trunnions and parallel with its longitudinal axis, pistons arrangedin said cylinders and having rearwardly-extending piston-rods connectedat their rear ends tothe gun and movable parallel with its axis and in aplane coincident with the axis of its trunnions, athird cylinder,conduits communicating between said cylinders, a piston within the thirdcyl inder, a liquid medium contained in said recoil-cylinders andadapted when the pistons thereof are moved under the recoil of the gunto be forced through said conduits into said third cylinder, and therebyto move the piston of the latter, a resisting-spring acting to resistthe movement of the piston in said third cylinder, whereby when the gunrecoils its recoil is transmitted through said liquid medium to saidspring and is taken up by the latter, and on the termination of itsrecoil under the reaction of said spring the gun is restored toposition, and a separable connection between said piston-rods and thegun, consisting of a head on the one, a recess on the other, and aremovable key for locking said head in said recess, said connectionconstructed when disengaged to permit the dismounting of the gun by itsdirect rearward movement in direction coincident with its longitudinalaxis, whereby other than axial movement is unnecessary to the separationof the gun from its recoil apparatus, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LEON DENOYELLE.

Witnesses:

R. J. PRESTON, MICHEL OooUARr.

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